Air flow guiding structure

ABSTRACT

An air flow guiding structure includes a plurality of straight radiating fins being parallelly spaced to define an air flow passage between any two adjacent ones of the straight radiating fins; a plurality of first oblique sections extended from first ends of at least some of the straight radiating fins, such that a first air flow guiding passage communicating with the air flow passage is defined between any two adjacent ones of the first oblique sections; and a plurality of second oblique sections extended from opposite second ends of at least some of the straight radiating fins, such that a second air flow guiding passage communicating with the air flow passage is defined between any two adjacent ones of the second oblique sections. With these arrangements, air flows can be quickly guided into and out of the air flow passages to improve flow field and achieve best heat dissipation effect.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an air flow guiding structure, and more particularly to an air flow guiding structure that enables upgraded heat dissipation efficiency.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Following the progress in various technological fields, people demand for efficient and real-time processing of a large quantity of data. To satisfy this demand, high-frequency and high-speed processors have been constantly developed and introduced into the market. However, these high-frequency and high-speed processors also generate more heat during the operation thereof. The large amount of heat generated by the processor in a system must be timely removed to avoid overheat of the processor, so that the whole system is protected against damage and can be maintained in good performance. Therefore, there must be an improved heat dissipating device to achieve the purpose of timely removing a large amount of heat from a heat-generating electronic element, such as a processor.

FIG. 1 shows a heat sink commonly available in the market for dissipating heat. The heat sink includes a plurality of radiating fins 1, which are vertically arranged to parallelly space from one another, so that an air flow guiding area 11 is formed between any two adjacent ones of the vertical radiating fins 1. A fan unit 10 is provided to one side of the radiating fins 1 to face toward the air flow guiding areas 11, so as to provide a heat dissipating device. When the heat dissipating device is mounted on a surface of a heat-generating electronic element (not shown) and when the fan unit 10 operates, cold air is blown into the air flow guiding areas 11 between the radiating fins 1 via cold air inlets 12 at the side of the heat sink facing toward the fan unit 10, and hot air flows out of the air flow guiding areas 11 via hot air outlets 13 at an opposite side of the heat sink. Since the above-described conventional heat dissipating device includes vertically arranged and parallelly spaced radiating fins 1, the two sides of the heat sink with the cold air inlets 12 and the hot air outlets 13 are in the form of two vertical planes. Hot air flowed to the hot air outlets 13 can not easily spread outward and tends to cause reverse flow of heat. Therefore, the air flow guiding areas 11 in the conventional heat dissipating device fail to enable effective heat exchange through air convection, resulting in low heat transfer efficiency and limited heat dissipation effect.

That is, the conventional heat sink has the following disadvantages: (1) failing to effectively dissipate heat therefrom; and (2) tending to produce reverse flow of heat.

It is therefore tried by the inventor to overcome the above problems by developing an improved air flow guiding structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an air flow guiding structure that enables upgraded heat dissipation efficiency.

To achieve the above and other objects, the air flow guiding structure according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of straight radiating fins respectively having a first end and an opposite second end and being parallelly spaced to define an air flow passage between any two adjacent ones of the straight radiating fins; a plurality of first oblique sections extended from the first ends of at least some of the straight radiating fins, such that a first air flow guiding passage communicating with the air flow passage is defined between any two adjacent ones of the first oblique sections and a first angle larger than 90° and smaller than 180° is contained between the straight radiating fin and the first oblique section extended therefrom; and a plurality of second oblique sections extended from the second ends of at least some of the straight radiating fins, such that a second air flow guiding passage communicating with the air flow passage is defined between any two adjacent ones of the second oblique sections and a second angle larger than 90° and smaller than 180° is contained between the straight radiating fin and the second oblique section extended therefrom.

The first and the second angles can be changed according to a user's actual need to provide most suitable air flow guiding passages. A fan can be arranged adjacent to the second ends of the straight radiating fins. When the fan operates, the second oblique sections can guide air flows produced by the fan into the second air flow guiding passages to smoothly flow through the air flow passages and out of the first air flow guiding passages, so as to change the air flow field and avoid reverse flow of heat, and reduce the temperature of air flowing into a system or a heat sink to obtain upgraded heat dissipation efficiency.

With the air flow guiding structure of the present invention, air flows can be quickly guided in between a plurality of radiating fins to improve the air flow field and achieve best heat dissipation effect. Further, the air flow guiding structure of the present invention can also be used in a narrow space to effectively improve system heat dissipation, and can be assembled at reduced cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional heat dissipating device;

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of an air flow guiding structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows the use of the air flow guiding structure of FIG. 2 to guide air flows;

FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of an air flow guiding structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows the use of the air flow guiding structure of FIG. 4 to guide air flows;

FIG. 6 is an assembled perspective view of an air flow guiding structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows the use of the air flow guiding structure of FIG. 6 to guide air flows;

FIG. 8 is an assembled perspective view of an air flow guiding structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows the use of the air flow guiding structure of FIG. 8 to guide air flows;

FIG. 10A shows the air flow guiding structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention mounted in a chassis;

FIG. 10B shows the air flow guiding structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention mounted in a chassis;

FIG. 10C shows the air flow guiding structure according to the third embodiment of the present invention mounted in a chassis; and

FIG. 10D shows the air flow guiding structure according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention mounted in a chassis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described with some preferred embodiments thereof and with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of easy to understand, elements that are the same in the preferred embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Please refer to FIG. 2 that is an assembled perspective view of an air flow guiding structure 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the air flow guiding structure 2 in the first embodiment includes a plurality of straight radiating fins 20, which respectively have a first end 201 and an opposite second end 202, and are parallelly spaced to define an air flow passage 3 between any two adjacent ones of the straight radiating fins 20; and a plurality of first oblique sections 2011 extended from the first ends 201 of at least some of the straight radiating fins 20, such that a first air flow guiding passage 31 communicating with the air flow passage 3 is defined between any two adjacent ones of the first oblique sections 2011 and a first angle 203 is contained between the straight radiating fin 20 and the first oblique section 2011 extended therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment, the first angle 203 is larger than 90° and smaller than 180°.

FIG. 3 shows the use of the air flow guiding structure 2 of FIG. 2 to guide air flows. Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3 at the same time. A fan 4 can be arranged adjacent to the second ends 202 of the straight radiating fins 20. When the fan 4 operates, air flows are forced into the air flow guiding structure 2 via the second ends 202 to flow through the air flow passages 3 and then guided out of the radiating fins 20 via the first air flow guiding passages 31 between the first oblique sections 2011. Since the first oblique sections 2011 are oblique relative to the straight radiating fins 20 by a predetermined angle, the air flows flowing out of the first air flow guiding passages 31 would not be reflected from or collide with one another to cause reverse flow of air. Compared to the conventional heat dissipating device that includes only straight radiating fins and fan, the air flow guiding structure 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention allows air to more smoothly flow therethrough, so that increased convection rate of air flowing through the radiating fins 20 can be obtained to achieve fast and efficient heat dissipation.

Please refer to FIG. 4 that is an assembled perspective view of an air flow guiding structure 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The air flow guiding structure 2 in the second embodiment is generally structurally similar to the first embodiment, except for a plurality of second oblique sections 2021, which are extended from the second ends 202 of at least some of the straight radiating fins 20, such that a second air flow guiding passage 32 communicating with the air flow passage 3 is defined between any two adjacent ones of the second oblique sections 2021 and a second angle 204 is contained between the straight radiating fin 20 and the second oblique section 2021 extended therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment, the second angle 204 is larger than 90° and smaller than 180°.

The air flow guiding structure 2 according to the present invention can be modified in design in response to different user requirements. For example, different combinations of the straight radiating fins 20, the first oblique sections 2011 and the second oblique sections 2021 can be arranged on the air flow guiding structure 2 to form the air flow passages 3, the first air flow guiding passages 31 and the second air flow guiding passages 32; meanwhile, the first and second angles 203, 204 contained between the straight radiating fins 20 and the first and second oblique sections 2011, 2021, respectively, can be changed according to user's actual need. FIG. 5 shows the use of the air flow guiding structure 2 of FIG. 4 to guide air flows. Please refer to FIGS. 4 and 5 at the same time. A fan 4 can be, for example, arranged adjacent to the second ends 202 of the straight radiating fins 20 and the second oblique sections 2021. When the fan 4 operates, air flows are forced into the air flow guiding structure 2 via the second air flow guiding passages 32 to flow through the air flow passages 3 and then out of the first air flow guiding passages 31 between the first oblique sections 2011. With these arrangements, the air flow guiding structure 2 in the second embodiment also provides suitable air flow guiding passages to avoid reverse flow of air caused by air flow reflection and collision.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first angles 203 contained between the straight radiating fins 20 and the first oblique sections 2011 as well as the second angle 204 contained between the straight radiating fins 20 and the second oblique sections 2021 are most preferably ranged between 115° and 155°. With these arrangements, air flows can be guided by the second air flow guiding passages 32 between the second oblique sections 2021 to flow into the air flow passages 3 between the straight radiating fins 20 and then out of the first air flow guiding passages 31 between the first oblique sections 2011 to ensure minimum air stagnation and best air convection rate in the air flow guiding structure 2.

Unlike the conventional heat dissipating device that includes only straight radiating fins and fan, the air flow guiding structure 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes the first oblique sections 2011 and the second oblique sections 2021 to enable change of air flow field. Further, by forming the first and the second angle 203, 204, air flowing out of the air flow passages 3 is stopped from flowing reversely. Therefore, air flows can smoothly flow through the air flow passages 3 at increased speed without stagnating between the radiating fins 20. That is, an increased convection rate of air flowing through the radiating fins 20 can be obtained to achieve fast and efficient heat dissipation.

FIG. 6 is an assembled perspective view of an air flow guiding structure 2 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The air flow guiding structure 2 in the third embodiment is generally structurally similar to the second embodiment, except for a plurality of third oblique sections 2012, which are extended from the first ends 201 of at least some of the straight radiating fins 20, such that a third air flow guiding passage 33 communicating with the air flow passage 3 is defined between any two adjacent ones of the third oblique sections 2012 and a third angle 205 is contained between the straight radiating fin 20 and the third oblique section 2012 extended therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment, the third angle 205 is larger than 90° and smaller than 180°; and the third oblique sections 2012 are located to a lateral side of the first oblique sections 2011.

In the air flow guiding structure 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, different combinations of the straight radiating fins 20, the first oblique sections 2011, the second oblique sections 2021 and the third oblique sections 2012 can be arranged on the air flow guiding structure 2; meanwhile, the first, the second and the third angles 203, 204, 205 contained between the straight radiating fins 20 and the first, the second and the third oblique sections 2011, 2021, 2012, respectively, can be changed according to user's actual need. FIG. 7 shows the use of the air flow guiding structure 2 of FIG. 6 to guide air flows. Please refer to FIGS. 6 and 7 at the same time. A fan 4 can be, for example, arranged adjacent to the second ends 202 of the straight radiating fins 20 and the second oblique sections 2021. When the fan 4 operates, air flows are guided by the second air flow guiding passages 32 to flow through the air flow passages 3 and then out of the first air flow guiding passages 31 between the first oblique sections 2011. Thereafter, the air flows reversely to the third air flow guiding passages 33 between the third oblique sections 2012 to flow through the air flow passages 3 between the straight radiating fins 20 and then out of the second ends 202 opposite to the third oblique sections 2012. With these arrangements, the air flow guiding structure 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention also provides smooth air flow guiding passages to prevent air from stagnating in the air flow passages 3 while effectively increases the convection rate of air flowing through the radiating fins 20.

FIG. 8 is an assembled perspective view of an air flow guiding structure 2 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The air flow guiding structure 2 in the fourth embodiment is generally structurally similar to the third embodiment, except for a plurality of fourth oblique sections 2022, which are extended from the second ends 202 of at least some of the straight radiating fins 20, such that a fourth air flow guiding passage 34 communicating with the air flow passage 3 is defined between any two adjacent ones of the fourth oblique sections 2022 and a fourth angle 206 is contained between the straight radiating fin 20 and the fourth oblique section 2022 extended therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment, the fourth angle 206 is larger than 90° and smaller than 180°.

In the air flow guiding structure 2 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, different combinations of the straight radiating fins 20, the first oblique sections 2011, the second oblique sections 2021, the third oblique sections 2012 and the fourth oblique sections 2022 can be arranged on the air flow guiding structure 2; meanwhile, the first, the second, the third and the fourth angles 203, 204, 205, 206 contained between the straight radiating fins 20 and the first, the second, the third and the fourth oblique sections 2011, 2021, 2012, 2022, respectively, can be changed according to user's actual need. FIG. 9 shows the use of the air flow guiding structure 2 of FIG. 8 to guide air flows. Please refer to FIGS. 8 and 9 at the same time. A fan 4 can be, for example, arranged adjacent to the second oblique sections 2021 and the fourth oblique sections 2022. When the fan 4 operates, air flows are guided by the second air flow guiding passages 32 to flow through the air flow passages 3 and then out of the first air flow guiding passages 31 between the first oblique sections 2011. Thereafter, the air flows reversely into the third air flow guiding passages 33 between the third oblique sections 2012 to flow through the air flow passages 3 between the straight radiating fins 20 and then out of the fourth air flow guiding passages 34 between the fourth oblique sections 2022, which are extended from the second ends 202. With these arrangements, the air flow guiding structure 2 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention also provides highly smooth air flow guiding passages to easily change the air flow field without causing air stagnation. Further, air flow collision can be minimized, and heat-carrying air flows can be evenly carried to other areas to achieve good heat dissipation.

FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing that the air flow guiding structure 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 2 is mounted in a chassis 5. The chassis 5 has a plurality of air outlets 51, and the air flow guiding structure 2 is mounted in the chassis 5 with the first air flow guiding passages 31 facing toward and located adjacent to the air outlets 51. A fan 4 is also mounted in the chassis 5 to locate at one side of the air flow guiding structure 2 opposite to the air outlets 51. When the fan 4 operates, air flows are forced into the air flow passages 3 between the straight radiating fins 20 and then flow out of the first air flow guiding passages 31 between the first oblique sections 2011. In this manner, hot air can be highly efficiently removed from the chassis 5 via the air outlets 51. Compared to the conventional heat dissipating device that includes only straight radiating fins, the air flow guiding structure 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention provides suitable air flow guiding passages, through which hot air in the chassis 5 can smoothly flow without stagnating in the air flow passages 3. That is, an increased convection rate of air flowing through the straight radiating fins 20 can be ensured.

FIGS. 10B, 10C and 10D are perspective views showing that the air flow guiding structures 2 according to the second, the third and the fourth embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 8, respectively, are mounted in the chassis 5 in a manner similar to the first embodiment to provide more air flow guiding passages 31, 32, 33, 34. As can be seen from FIGS. 10A to 10D, when the air flow guiding structure 2 provides more air flow guiding passages, the hot air in the chassis 5 can more smoothly flow through the air flow guiding structure 2 with reduced air flow collision rate, enabling upgraded system cooling efficiency and prolonged service life of the chassis 5.

In brief, the air flow guiding structure according to the present invention has the following advantages: (1) enabling easy dissipation of heat energy; (2) suppressing reverse flow of heat; and (3) ensuring smooth air flow therethrough.

The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

1. An air flow guiding structure, comprising a plurality of straight radiating fins respectively having a first end and an opposite second end and being parallelly spaced to define an air flow passage between any two adjacent ones of the straight radiating fins; and a plurality of first oblique sections extended from the first ends of at least some of the straight radiating fins, such that a first air flow guiding passage communicating with the air flow passage is defined between any two adjacent ones of the first oblique sections.
 2. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of second oblique sections extended from the second ends of at least some of the straight radiating fins, such that a second air flow guiding passage communicating with the air flow passage is defined between any two adjacent ones of the second oblique sections.
 3. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of third oblique sections extended from the first ends of at least some of the straight radiating fins, such that a third air flow guiding passage communicating with the air flow passage is defined between any two adjacent ones of the third oblique sections.
 4. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the third oblique sections are located to one lateral side of the first oblique sections.
 5. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of fourth oblique sections extended from the second ends of at least some of the straight radiating fins, such that a fourth air flow guiding passage communicating with the air flow passage is defined between any two adjacent ones of the fourth oblique sections.
 6. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fourth oblique sections are located to one lateral side of the second oblique sections.
 7. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first angle is contained between the straight radiating fin and the first oblique section extended therefrom, and the first angle being larger than 90° and smaller than 180°.
 8. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein a second angle is contained between the straight radiating fin and the second oblique section extended therefrom, and the second angle being larger than 90° and smaller than 180°.
 9. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein a third angle is contained between the straight radiating fin and the third oblique section extended therefrom, and the third angle being larger than 90° and smaller than 180°.
 10. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein a fourth angle is contained between the straight radiating fin and the fourth oblique section extended therefrom, and the fourth angle being larger than 90° and smaller than 180°.
 11. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air flow guiding structure is located adjacent to a fan with the second ends of the straight radiating fins facing toward the fan; whereby when the fan operates, air flows are forced through the air flow passages to flow out of the air flow guiding structure via the first air flow guiding passages.
 12. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the air flow guiding structure is located adjacent to a fan with the second oblique sections facing toward the fan; whereby when the fan operates, air flows are guided by the second air flow guiding passages to flow into the air flow passages and then out of the first air flow guiding passages.
 13. The air flow guiding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air flow guiding structure is mounted in a chassis; the chassis being provided with a plurality of air outlets, and the air flow guiding structure being mounted in the chassis with the first air flow guiding passages facing toward and located adjacent to the air outlets of the chassis. 